 Although lower on the moment magnitude scale than the quake of September 2010, the intensity and violence of the ground shaking was measured to be VIII ("Severe") on the Mercalli intensity scale and was among the strongest ever recorded globally in an urban area due to the shallowness and proximity of the epicentre.Early assessments indicated that approximately one third of buildings in the Central Business District would have to be demolished.In contrast to the September 2010 quake, the quake struck on a busy weekday afternoon.